San Diego DUI criminal defense lawyers and San Diego DUI criminal defense attorneys report Charles Barkley is taking a leave of absence from the broadcast booth.

The announcement by Turner Sports came yesterday, hours after police said that Barkley, the former NBA star, was legally drunk when he was arrested Dec. 31 on suspicion of DUI / DWI / drunk driving in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Test results show that Barkley, 45, allegedly had a blood-alcohol level at .149, nearly twice the legal limit of .08 in Arizona.

Barkley will be off the air for a minimum of several weeks, and no return date has been set, a source familiar with the situation told The Associated Press.

Barkley was stopped by a Gilbert officer working a regional DUI task force shortly after he left a popular nightclub at about 1:30 a.m. He allegedly failed field-sobriety tests but was cooperative. He was booked and released at a field-command post, and he later issued a statement saying he was disappointed he put himself in that situation.

"When I spoke with Charles, he was apologetic for the events that transpired and it was obvious he understood the significance of this situation," David Levy, the president of Turner Sports, said in a statement. "This is an important time for Charles as he deals with the legal and personal issues that confront him. Charles is a valued part of the Turner Sports organization, and we are concerned for his well-being."